The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), in coordination with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), published the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation (FEIS) on September 6, marking the start of the 30-day public comment period.
Sound Transit will hold an open house for community members to review the progress of the East Link extension along the Bel-Red corridor, which is now approximately 60 percent complete.
The National Gateway coalition has completed its first phase on-time and on-budget, which clears the way for double-stack intermodal rail service between CSX‘s existing terminal in Chambersburg, Pa., and its hub facility in Northwest Ohio.
The first streetcar to travel Utah’s streets in more than 50 years will be open for service starting December 8, 2013.
Union Pacific plans to strengthen Illinois’ transportation infrastructure by investing $30 million in the rail line at various locations between Dolton and Ellis.
The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) has been awarded an $8.9 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant to rehabilitate a freight corridor and prepare it for future passenger service.
The $18.5-million project involves rehabilitating 20 miles of the state-owned Vermont Railway from Rutland to Leicester, which includes replacing nine miles of rail, upgrading 11 at-grade farm crossings and other improvements. When completed, this project will eliminate track-related slow orders, allowing for unrestricted Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Class 3 speed operations of up to 40 mph. The Vermont Rail System operates over the line and provides a critical connection for shippers to the Class 1 network in New York.
The project also supports the state’s efforts to improve the line to allow for the future extension of Amtrak’s Ethan Allen service from Rutland to Burlington. Approximately $6 million in match funding is coming from previous federal appropriations benefiting the corridor, as well as $3.2 million from the state and $200,000 in-kind contributions from the rail operator.
“This investment is helping to move the economy by improving track, bridges and other infrastructure, building stations and intermodal facilities, advancing higher-performing rail service and improving safety,” said FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo.
Fifty-two transportation projects in 37 states will receive a total of approximately $474 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program. Among these, $146 million will help fund rail projects.
Maryland plans to invest nearly $1.5 billion in transportation investments for the Baltimore Metropolitan Region that will support more than 13,000 jobs, reduce traffic congestion and revitalize communities.
The Rail Relocation Project at the former Bethlehem Steel site in Lackawanna, N.Y., is now complete. The project entailed the installation of approximately two miles of track in the north-south direction on the site, in the process removing tracks that had hindered access to the site and opening up approximately 300 acres of land
Rep. David Joyce (R-OH), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, visited the manufacturing facility of National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) member Delta Railroad Construction in Austinburg, Ohio, August 28.
Port of Duluth-Superior in Minnesota has been awarded a $10 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant to improve infrastructure. The funding will be used to rebuild and expand the general cargo dock at the port and connect it to existing road and rail infrastructure.
BNSF plans to invest an estimated $240 million on maintenance and rail capacity expansion projects in Texas this year.
The first of three Michigan track improvement phases for the 2013 construction season will begin on September 9.
The Illinois Department of Transportation and Union Pacific are performing the second of three phases of 2013 upgrades to Illinois’ Chicago-St. Louis high-speed route, for future 110 mph operation of Amtrak Lincoln Service trains.
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) and Amtrak are celebrating the state’s Rail Safety Month by reminding the public to watch for trains.
William Costantini has accepted the position of vice president and chief transportation officer for Florida East Coast Railway (FEC), effective September 16, 2013. He will assume responsibility for the FEC rail transportation network and terminal operations.
Merv Tweed, who recently announced his resignation from the Canadian House of Commons after serving more than nine years as the Member of Parliament for Brandon-Souris, has been appointed as president of OmniTRAX Canada.
A U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant was awarded to the Kansas City Streetcar project in the amount of $20 million.
The Port of Baltimore, Port of Tucson and Port of Oswego have received $16.5 million in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants.
The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a rule proposal that would give states an opportunity to manage the federally required environmental review process for highway, rail and transit projects.